How a gluten-free diet powers one of the best cycling teams in the world — and how it can help you perform better and recover faster.
By Vanessa Gregory
For endurance athletes, carbo-loading on pasta and bread is as much a part of their sports as spandex and heart-rate monitors. So when Dr. Allen Lim, former exercise physiologist for the Garmin-Transitions pro cycling team (he’s now with Lance Armstrong’s RadioShack team), and Jonathan Vaughters, Garmin’s founder and CEO, suggested the squad switch to a wheat-free diet, the riders thought they were crazy. “Their first reaction was, ‘What? No! We can’t race the Tour de France without pasta,’ ” recalls Vaughters. But the two men were banking on the idea that gluten, a composite of proteins in wheat, is responsible for bloating, stiffness, and gastrointestinal distress — huge performance-hindering problems — and the theory that their riders would recover better from grueling stages by avoiding wheat. Moreover, they knew that the team could get all the carbs they needed by eating other foods.
“I was pleasantly surprised,” says Christian Vande Velde, Garmin-Transitions’s team leader, who was the first member of the team to experiment with going wheat-free during the racing season. “I just had all-around better digestion, and digestion is the biggest thing in utilizing the energy I consume.” Teammate Tom Danielson had a similar experience when he started following the diet during the Tour of Missouri in 2008. “My performance really improved a lot — there was definitely a correlation,” says Danielson. “I think that my digestion is better, and because of that my sleep is better and my recovery is better.”
The riders’ results aren’t surprising given the fact that humans are ill-equipped to digest wheat. Besides people who suffer from wheat allergies and celiac disease — an autoimmune condition triggered by exposure to gluten that affects about one in 133 Americans, causing everything from diarrhea to fatigue — doctors and nutritionists frequently see patients who simply feel healthier and more energetic when they’re eating wheat-free. That’s because, unlike cows, we lack the enzymes in our saliva and stomach to fully break down and absorb gluten for nutritional use, so parts of the protein just get smashed up before exiting to the small bowel in large pieces. More than 50 different types of those fragments have been shown to cause adverse reactions, according to Dr. Michelle Pietzak, a celiac expert at the University of Southern California. “So depending on your genetic makeup, you can have an allergy, you can have celiac disease, or it could be that you’re just not digesting it well,” Pietzak says. And if smooth digestion seems minor compared with strength and VO2 max, think again. “It’s a huge deal,” says Lim. “It might be the hugest deal.”
Since the energy needs of elite athletes such as Vande Velde and Danielson are immense — in the Tour de France, cyclists will eat as much as 8,000 calories daily, or more than three times what a moderately active guy needs each day — following a diet that bans wheat could spell trouble, due to the fact that the grain is a great source of carbohydrates. Carbs break down into glucose and serve as the body’s primary fuel during exercise. Excess glucose also gets stored in muscles as glycogen, which provides additional energy during exercise and recovery. Without adequate levels of glycogen, an athlete will bonk.
To make sure that didn’t happen, Vaughters hired chef Sean Fowler, a Colorado native who owns a restaurant in Spain, for last year’s Tour. Fowler served poultry and eggs as protein sources, fresh fruits and vegetables for vitamins, and for carbohydrates, he simply switched sources. Wheat-based pasta is the carbo-loading standard mainly because it’s cheap, readily available, and easy to cook, but other carbs are just as effective, including rice, oats, corn, and quinoa, a seed that’s high in carbs and protein. “Every once in a while they’d be like, ‘Bread! We want bread!’ ” says Fowler. But the cravings passed.
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Few of us need as many carbs and calories as Vande Velde or Danielson. But going wheat-free is not like going on the Atkins diet, which famously instructs people to cut most carbs out of their diets in order to lose weight. Athletes need carbohydrates, says Leslie Bonci, a sports dietitian for the Milwaukee Brewers. For active guys, she recommends three grams of carbs per pound of body weight per day. “You have to maintain the energy substrate, or you’ll slam into the wall,” Bonci says.
Garmin’s reliance on vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and fresh, well-prepared food is universally instructive, as well. Many athletes who stop eating wheat, despite having no real problem digesting gluten, still experience weight loss and performance and digestion benefits from inadvertently dodging other dietary pitfalls. No bread, cookies, or hamburger buns usually translates to less sugar, salt, and processed foods spiked with chemical fillers.
The best part may be that Garmin’s wheat-free diet is moderate, a tool for periods of intense exertion rather than a permanent exercise in deprivation. “The gist of it is, if you can avoid it, do,” Vande Velde says. The rest of the time, he just tries to eat healthfully, without worrying about gluten. “Believe me, I drink plenty of beer in the off-season.”
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What’s on the Training Table
Keeping gluten-free takes planning, but it’s not as hard — or limiting — as it seems. Here’s a rider’s typical menu.
Breakfast
Fresh-fruit salad, boiled rice, oatmeal, oat milk, muesli
Syrups: agave, molasses, honey, maple
On Rest Days: hash browns and pancakes made with rice and corn flour
Eggs with yolk-to-white ration of 1 to 2
Race Snacks
Lim’s Rice Cakes (sushi rice, egg, tamari, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and prosciutto), Clif Products (Including bars and gels), Sean’s Bars (puffed rice, oats, cashews, and almonds)
Dinner
Fresh-fruit puree: nectarines, apricots, peaches, and plums
Sean’s Salad: fresh mixed greens, sweet onions, garlic, nuts, grated carrots, apples, beets, olive oil, vinegar, and grated parmesan or manchego cheese
Vegetable and fish paella
Fresh- fruit cornmeal cobbler
Post-Race Snack (Eaten with liquids 15 to 30 minutes after exercise)
Frittata with potato and onion
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This article first appeared in the March 2010 issue of Men’s Journal.
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February 18th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
I don’t believe it’s the gluten in wheat products causing all the stomach distress, fatigue, etc.
A few years ago I noticed when I travel outside the country, be it France, italy, Dominican Republic, what have you, I can eat wheat based products, gluten and all (baquettes, pan, sliced bread, etc.) without any problem. The same holds true If I eat home baked bread.
Has anyone looked at the list of chemicals in bread you get off the shelf here in the States? Might that have something to do with the allergic symptoms many people suffer from?
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jason Reply:
March 6th, 2010 at 2:56 pm
There’s a bunch of people who are thinking something along those lines, but nothing’s been proven yet though. These other alternative explanations include:
-other chemicals that are put into our wheat based products (preservatives, emulsifiers, consistency agents, etc) are the problem more so than the wheat is
-selective farming (read, natural gene therapy) has produced wheat here in the US that’s cheaper to make but harder to digest, where foreign wheat is still old school and easier to break down
-gene alteration of wheat does the same as above
-the amount of radiation we’re constantly subject to (wireless internet and phone carriers (microwaves) mainly, but also radio waves) act kind of like UV and has changed a small percentage of people’s ability to digest certain things like wheat
To me, most of these make sense, but I haven’t heard any conclusive evidence. I’m a guy with gluten intolerance / celiac disease by the way.
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Ron Reply:
March 22nd, 2010 at 11:54 am
Not the Wheat or the Gluten.. Wake up! Or better yet spend a day with myself or someone else with Celiac after eating gluten. It’s far more pleasant to suffer through a root canal. As for the chemicals in our food products here in the US, if the FDA was really looking out for us most of our packaged foods would be banned. I spend 2-3 times as much as I used to now that I am paying attention to what I eat and it’s worth every penny.
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Daniel Schlenger Reply:
March 25th, 2010 at 12:24 pm
Regardless of the effects of chemicals, hybridization and genetic modification, the gliadin component of gluten has been shown in countless studies to be a causative agent in the gluten sensitivity syndrome. Research in the last five years has helped clarify the genetic components of celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Much of this research has been done throughout Europe from Turkey, Italy, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands etc since the 1940’s. The notion that gluten is a toxic agent to at least 10% of the US population is well established in science and to those with clinical experience.
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February 19th, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Where are the recipes? I have said for years that my guts just dont work well when i eat wheat. Nice to see a few folks confirming what were only suspicions prior. Good article, give me more….
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Brit Reply:
February 25th, 2010 at 11:40 am
I can’t eat gluten due to an intolerance and I’ve managed to find a lot of other great options. Brown Rice pasta from Trader Joe’s is an easy one, but breads are a little harder, so I make my own. Bob’s Red Mill products are pretty good and Namaste Foods makes a great gluten-free flour blend (with a FANTASTIC banana bread recipe on the bag).
If you’re looking for recipes and you don’t want to purchase a cookbook, check out this blog:
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/
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Jennifer Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 2:18 pm
There are lots of good products on the market now that weren’t there when I started my journey 5 years ago. I do not like Bob’s Red Mills gluten free flour blends because they rely on bean flours, yuck! They(Bob’s Red Mill) do have good single ingredient flours though that I use to make fabulous food. The Allergen Free Baker’s Handbook by Cybele Pascal is fabulous and you should check it out. Udi’s makes a great bread and pizza crust and muffins and bagels and cinnamon rolls. In addition to being sensitive to gluten, no matter the source I am also sensitive to milk and soy and MSG. I can make just about anything safe for me to eat and most people don’t know it is gluten free. It takes time and practice and forgetting the mouth feel of glutenous foods. The cravings eventually go away.
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February 19th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Hey, this is a great article!It’s very informative and quite intriguing too.I never knew that the human body does not have the capacity to digest gluten, unlike cows.Personally I’m not into pasta and bread. I regularly eat rice and oatmeal along with a fresh serving of fruits and raw veggies everyday.So far, the only time I get indigestion is when I don’t eat my meals on time or when I drink softdrinks after meals.
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February 21st, 2010 at 11:22 pm
Again, great article! My son has a sensitivity to gluten and we discovered it through a blood test that was ordered by our Naturalpathic. This has helped him a lot with not just feeling better but it has improved his overall mood and disposition. I have had digestive problems for as long as I can remember and so I also went on a gluten free diet as well. It has made a huge difference in my energy at work(especially in the afternoon), cut down on stomach pains, and bloating. In fact, it has worked so well that I recommended it to a work colleague (the one that referred me to this article) and he has noticed the same results. Keep it up!
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February 24th, 2010 at 5:48 pm
This article is not very well-rounded. First of all, there are plenty of gluten-free options for eating bread. The article talks about getting burgers without a bun. That’s obvious. But there are plenty of gluten-free breads, etc. out there. Also, it mentions eating oatmeal. But almost all oatmeal is NOT gluten-free because of the process used to separate the oats. That’s bad information for anyone that absolutely has to eat gluten-free (i.e. celiac disease). What you’re professing is a gluten-free diet as a fad diet. It is not a fad diet. It’s for people with a specific disease. There is not reason to eat gluten-free if you are not gluten-intolerant and this article only further confuses people who are celiacs.
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Sean Reply:
February 25th, 2010 at 11:17 am
I do not not suffer from celiac disease but the article clearly states why you would want to refrain from your consumption of granis.
“No bread, cookies, or hamburger buns usually translates to less sugar, salt, and processed foods spiked with chemical fillers.”
Anyone concerned with general well being would want to consider going grain free. Anyone concerned with increasin their fitness would want to consider going grain free and anyone considering not just a diet but channging their life would want to consider going grain free.
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jason Reply:
March 6th, 2010 at 3:01 pm
Eeeasy there Trigger. Don’t read so into it. This article isn’t for celiacs. It’s for athletes and is about cutting down / out gluten in an athlete’s diet.
While I’ve heard what you say about oat production, you should also check out ways other ways to get gluten free oats, because there are ways to do it.
And for the record: most gluten free bread is horrible.
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Jennifer Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 2:21 pm
You obviously have not tried Udi’s Gluten free bread, it is fabulous.
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March 2nd, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Awesome.
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March 2nd, 2010 at 4:32 pm
Kudos to this chef! My guess is the other pro cycling teams might be on to something after reading this piece….Garmin Slipstream is lucky to have Sean Fowler. He not only brings a keen approach to diet and nutrition to this team of great cyclists — but also his years of experience preparing superb tasting foods w/ great passion. I know this first-hand having dined at his restaurant in Spain.
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March 5th, 2010 at 9:36 am
How does soaking/fermentation affect digestibility of wheat products? In many food traditions (most ignored in the U.S. currently), the practice of soaking your whole wheat flour overnight in buttermilk (or other acidic liquid) before making pancakes, for example, helps make the wheat more digestible and makes the nutrients more bio-available. Sourdough breads may be another example. I wonder if that makes a difference for or helps athletes.
FYI, the book, “Nourishing Traditions” talks about this and other traditional food preparations that can be a boon to health.
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March 7th, 2010 at 11:56 pm
Your article has opened up the door to a huge issues, bigger than just athletes performing better without wheat. I am a nurse and a mom. My husband is a cyclist and sent me to read this article since he knows we have deffinately been dealing with digestive isses with our 5 y/o who we discovered has terrible gas and bloating along with bowel accidents that we traced to oats (one of his favorite meals) and maybe wheat. I too am dealing with what seems to be a sensitivity to anything with wheat and oats. I’ve wondered where this has come from because I have never had these problems, nor did my son prior to this year. Its been a huge puzzle for our family. I have discovered that eating sprouted bread (eg. Ezekiel company makes several types; available at Trader Joes, Woodman’s and now Meijer’s) for myself and my son Does NOT bother us as eating other wheat breads. So, I do believe there is something to be learned and said about the sprouting process. Read the back of the label on the Ezekiel products and it explains exactly how they make this bread. Is it just me, or are we all learning more and more adults and children are experiencing digestive problems. Just look at the shelves with gluten free products! (and does this have any correlation with the statistics for kids with Autism and ADD/ADHD on the rise and how many of them have food sensitivites, gluten free diets as well)
One more thing; the issue of adequate dietary calcium. Everyone knows that we need enough calcium for healthy bones; but I think often we have not heard enough about the importance of adequate calcium for healthy digestion. May this be affecting an athletes performance if they are not getting enough and messing with their guts too? Especially for athletes who are constantly monitoring their fluids/electrolytes during training and performance.
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Allen Prunty Reply:
March 10th, 2010 at 6:39 pm
I hope you get an e-mail to take a look at my reply.
I have Celiac and have two children who were diagnosed with it before me. I have always avoided eating a lot of wheat since I don’t care for bread.
My children on the other hand had the exact same symptoms that yours have. I would suspect a problem and it’s a simple blood test that will answer the question called a celiac panel.
My children were thought to have ADD / ADHD and as soon as we went gluten free all problems disappeared.
Ezekiel is lower gluten but not gluten free… they are ok to have the celiac bloodwork. If you had them on a true gluten free diet the blood test will come back negative if they have issues. They need to eat some gluten for the test to work.
Please ask your doctor… and rule out the problems. I was skeptical until my kids were diagnosed and their behavior problems disappeared totally after the diet.
You can e-mail me at allen (at) alprunty (dot) com if you need more advice. I have dealt with this now for four years. I am also much healthier since I went gluten free right after christmas. I have lost nearly 40 pounds and have TONS more energy. I feel 15 years younger.
Allen
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March 8th, 2010 at 2:28 pm
Awesome nutrition! I have to add too that our family loves to eat healthy and just tried Kamut Khorasan Wheat - yum! One thing I learned about this grain is that many with gluten intolerance can eat it since it is an ancient form that has not been “messed with”
Hope this helps!
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NOT TRUE Reply:
July 8th, 2010 at 3:39 am
I just wanted to comment here in case anyone reads this comment about Kamut Khorasan Wheat — this statement is not true. Companies that put this “fact” on their packaging and advertised Kamut Khorasan Wheat as something many with gluten intolerance can eat are being forced by the FDA to change their packaging. For example, French Meadow bakery.
Those with celiac should absolutely not consume it (and never should have) and those who are gluten intolerant or wheat intolerant may not wish to risk it.
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March 10th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Imagine if he replaced all those carb calories with pemmican. Heck, it would fit in his seat pouch.
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March 16th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
Hi,
Check out http://www.mophias.com to find home baked, tasty, gluten free, wheat free, yeast free and some sugar free products that I produce and sell in Galway area. Happy to provid samples if needed.
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March 17th, 2010 at 9:10 am
Speaking as someone with celiac… I’ve seen lots of people who test negative for celiac see all kinds of improvements in health and fitness after giving up wheat. For those who fear for their beer, there are gluten-free Belgian ales (Green’s — they have a dubbel and a tripel, even) and New Grist, a great hot-weather session beer that’s gluten-free.
I’ve also seen — several times — folks who have struggled with weight problems for years experience amazing results in a hurry — like, 2-3 lb a week, sometimes more — just by giving up wheat and sugar, without any other changes to their routines.
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Jennifer Reply:
June 23rd, 2010 at 2:25 pm
And Anheiser Busch makes a gluten free beer called Redbridge.
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March 21st, 2010 at 4:32 pm
I went gluten-free about 5 years ago when my wife and children were diagnosed with celiac disease. Although I don’t have major problems with gluten, I have to say I feel a lot healthier and have more energy when I stay away from it. I am an endurance athlete so everything I put in my body needs to support my work outs. I just don’t see the point of including wheat anymore since it doesn’t support my sysytem and there are so many great alternatives. On days when I am going to do a long ride, I usually start with gluten-free Buckwheat Flax pancakes (from The Pure Pantry) and fruit. This gives me staying power.
I also like some of the gf bars available (Pure Fit is one that tastes good).
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March 28th, 2010 at 4:23 pm
This article caught my eye. This is something slightly off topic, but has anyone else tried the product salba? I actually discovered this product on a celiac website. I read up on it and started integrating it into my diet. It is a Gluten free wholefood. I have regained alot of my energy as it fills me up for long periods of time and I dont get sugar highs and lows. The nutrient content is outstanding too. Just wanted to see if anyone else had had as good results as I have. Thanks.
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March 29th, 2010 at 9:57 am
As a person who was diagnosed with Celiacs disease I think it is important for anybody to try a gluten-free diet or any other kind of diet if they are looking to decrease daily fatigue or to eat healthier in general. That being said the team above did not eat gluten free according to the diet requirements. Clif bars are not gluten free nor is it recommended for those on a gluten free diet to eat Oats (unless the oats are certified as gluten free). I have heard several stories from people who were not diagnosed as having Celiacs disease but tried the diet and as a result felt healthier. No one should claim to be on the diet if they eat foods such as Clif bars that contain gluten.
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April 22nd, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Interesting shift of the typical nutrition paradigm. With the support of a nutritionist however I’m sure that they are doing just fine with the new diet.
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May 11th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Interesting to know that wheat products are one of the main food to be avoided by athletes during their contests.I do agree with you that wheat products are rich in protein,so athletes would have to depend on other protein rich foods to compensate.Thanks for this excellent & well researched article.
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May 19th, 2010 at 11:27 am
What you want is ZERO grains. No wheat, oats, rice, corn, pasta of any kind. ZERO sugar (except fruit) minimal dairy (raw, organic milk and yogurt).
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June 10th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Great article. There’s no doubt Allen Lim is a great sports scientist and some of the knowledge he drops above is awesome. It’s just a shame cycling’s dirty image tarnishes him as well in light of fallen hero Floyd Landis’ recent allegations. The sooner Jeff Novitzky gets his investigation under way the better, for those that are guilty and those that are innocent.
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June 19th, 2010 at 9:50 am
WGA = wheat germ agglutinin has an affinity for fucose which the sugar that makes up the Blood Type O antigen and fucos is resposible for fucosylation which make your nerves and cells function properly…with over 40% of the general population Blood type O it would make sence for a portion of the riders to go the wheat free and gluten free route. Type O’s are the oldest blood types steming from pre agrarian lifestles, ie: Hunter gatherers (no grains, no gluten) I would suggest millet, quinoa and buckwheat…all gluten free. Potato and corn agglutinins also have an infinity for fucose.
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June 22nd, 2010 at 3:57 pm
I gave up gluten (and dairy) 2 years ago and can’t believe how much better I feel - aches and pains I thought were just old football injuries subsided, blood sugar levels and digestion improved and I lost 10 lbs. It hard to find really good tasting alternatives, especially bread and my previous favorite food, pizza. I swear by Clean Cravings products: http://www.cleancravings.com. also no corn, soy and organic.
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